THE EUROPEAN JOURNALS 



89 



ing, and enjoy this luxury every night and morning. 

 Several vessels are in sight. 



June 26. We have been becalmed many days, and 

 I should be dull indeed were it not for the fishes and 

 birds, and my pen and pencil. I have been much in- 

 terested in the Dusky Petrels ; the mate killed four at 

 one shot, so plentiful were they about our vessel, and 

 I have made several drawings from these, which were 

 brought on board for that purpose. They skim over the 

 sea in search of what is here called Gulf Weed, of which 

 there are large patches, perhaps half an acre in extent. 

 They flap the wings six or seven times, then soar for 

 three or four seconds, the tail spread, the wings extended. 

 Four or five of these birds, indeed sometimes as many as 

 fifteen or twenty, will alight on this weed, dive, flutter, and 

 swim with all the gayety of ducks on a pond, which they 

 have reached after a weary journey. I heard no note 

 from any of them. No sooner have the Petrels eaten or 

 dispersed the fish than they rise and extend their wings 

 for flight, in search of more. At times, probably to rest 

 themselves, they alighted, swam lightly, dipping their bills 

 frequently in the water as Mergansers and fishy Ducks do 

 ♦ when trying, by tasting, if the water contains much fish. 

 On inspection of the body, I found the wings powerfully 

 muscular and strong for the size of the bird, a natural 

 requisite for individuals that have such an extent of water 

 to traverse, and frequently heavy squalls to encounter 

 and fight against. The stomach, or pouch, resembled a 

 leather purse of four inches in length and was much dis- 

 tended by the contents, which were a compound of fishes 

 of different kinds, some almost entire, others more or less 

 digested. The gullet was capable of great extension. 

 Fishes two and a half inches by one inch were found 

 nearly fresh. The flesh of these Petrels smelt strong, and 

 was tough and not fit to eat. I tasted some, and found 

 it to resemble the flesh of the Porpoise. There was no 





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